I understand that you lose your skills with age but he has shown absolutely zero moves, brick hands, no passing ability and leaves the zone without the puck more times than any rookie.
Those were some brick hands and zero moves tonight against Chicago, huh, no name? Yeah, I know you said that he hadn't yet (so, I'm just teasing you), but he obviously still has soft hands and great moves and you just needed to be more patient. I imagine you liked what you saw? I know I sure did!
Much better tonight. A few bad passes but better than average .
Everyone is going to have a couple of bad passes, especially offensive players because the puck is with them more and their trying to create...do you expect to see tape to tape passes the whole game for 60 minutes?
Keep working on it JR...you'll be back to what we traded for in no time!
Yes, Jagr had it right. He was awesome back in the day. He was like Stevie Y was for Detroit. He was the superstar for the Hawks. With him up front, Chelios on D, and Belfour between the pipes, they had one hell of a nucleus. JR got 50 goals a season, 110 points, and hit like a one man crash line. He was only 6'0, 175 in his prime but played like Peca (much bigger than his size). Awesome skater and shooter.
The player now that most resembles how JR was 10+ years ago is probably Jarome Iginla. Would you agree Jagr?
Funnily enough he's never been as good as he was that 1st game of the season..
He had a great first period/game but it was down hill from there. JR is doing all the little things now and it looks like his offense is on the verge of coming back. It's obvious to me his conditioning is getting better.
Roenick broke in the same year as Linden so I have watched them both. Roenick's hung onto his skills more than Linden and with much less size and organizational stability.
Back in his heyday, Roenick was among the very best packages of grit and offensive ability to be found. The comparison to Iginla is not out of line but more "Roenickesque" players (pivots who hit and can finish) would be like Eric Staal or Jason Spezza.
It is difficult to justify his $4.9M contract when he performs like any other role player, only with more of a personality. It is scary how the Kings have been on a roll without much contribution from the second scoring unit (save for Cammalleri). The checking line of Cowan-Belanger-Avery creates more scoring chances than JR's line. Derek Armstrong would prove to be more of an offensive spark plug once he returns. It is a shame to see how JR's skills have deteriorated.
The problem I have with JR's play isn't that he isn't finding his way on the score sheet, but he can't even create any scoring opportunities and often mishandles the puck or attempts an errant pass that leads to a turnover.
If his lack of contributions continue, I think a few days off will do him good. Look at how Luc responded after Andy Murray sat him down for two straight games. It woke Luc up. Perhaps it will have the same effect on JR.
Last edited by Ziggy Stardust: 11-21-2005 at 12:52 AM.
It is difficult to justify his $4.9M contract when he performs like any other role player, only with more of a personality. It is scary how the Kings have been on a roll without much contribution from the second scoring unit (save for Cammalleri). The checking line of Cowan-Belanger-Avery creates more scoring chances than JR's line. Derek Armstrong would prove to be more of an offensive spark plug once he returns. It is a shame to see how JR's skills have deteriorated.
The problem I have with JR's play isn't that he isn't finding his way on the score sheet, but he can't even create any scoring opportunities and often mishandles the puck or attempts and errant pass that leads to a turnover.
If his lack of contributions continue, I think a few days off will do him good. Look at how Luc responded after Andy Murray sat him down for two straight games. It woke Luc up. Perhaps it will have the same effect on JR.
Good post. I never disliked the guy but for 4.9 Mill per year you have to have some sort of production. Unfortunately he is just a role player who puts people in the stands.
It will take an amazing second half from Roenick to warrant a new contract. That being said, I think this will be his only season with the Kings (and possibily last in the NHL).
(not the first time we've endured the twilight of a career...)
Good point. In the "20 years of Kings hockey" special, wasn't it Rick Martin who Bob Miller was saying could barely walk when Miller picked him up at the airport?
I think that he's still more than capable of all of the goals in that montage. He just needs to get it together and needs his linemates to get it together, as well. We saw the moves that he's capable of in the game against Chicago a couple of weeks ago. I'm just disappointed that that was apparently meant to impress his old fans and that he's gone back to not trying those moves since then. Maybe the two upcoming games against Chicago will help.
It will take an amazing second half from Roenick to warrant a new contract. That being said, I think this will be his only season with the Kings (and possibily last in the NHL).
He won't be re-signing for $4.9M no matter where he goes, so I don't think his "value" now matters any. I'm sure the price that he'll be seeking next Summer will be reasonable. If he doesn't return to the Kings, it'll be much more likely to be because either a) he wants to go home to Phoenix, or b) the Kings just want to go in another direction. I don't think that the Kings will be oppposed to having him back at the right price. I think that they'll offer him a contract. The only questions in my mind are whether they'll lowball him and whether JR even wants to play anywhere but Phoenix.
I'm sure the locker room and team feeds off of him big time, though. That's one intangible that is not easily replaced. Unfortunately he makes too much.
Gotta agree with the assessment. I don't know that we'll ever see the Roenick of say, 5 -10 years ago, but on any given night, I think he's capable of striking from out of nowhere.
Yeah, I know you said that he hadn't yet (so, I'm just teasing you), but he obviously still has soft hands and great moves and you just needed to be more patient. I imagine you liked what you saw? I know I sure did!
